The film stars former Strikeforce champion Gina Carano, who made the leap into acting with Haywire. Although Carano and Haywire was no match for Kate Beckinsale and Underworld: Awakening, which pulled in $25.3 million the same opening weekend, Carano did earn the respect of co-star Ewan McGregor.

In a recent interview on Live with Kelly, McGregor was extremely complimentary of Carano’s acting chops, especially considering how she landed in her big screen debut.

“(Soderbergh) saw Gina Carano, he was channel surfing one night, and he saw her coming to the ring and then fighting,” recounted McGregor. “He thought she was such an incredible character, kind of her fighting energy, extreme and brutal, so he wrote a whole movie around her.

“He went to see her in Vegas and said, ‘I want to make a film with you,’ but he didn’t know what the film would be. She said okay, she was up for it, and then he constructed and wrote the film round about her.”

Of course, writing roles for celebrities in Hollywood is nothing new; it’s been going on for years. Does anyone remember Elvis Presley or Shaquille O’Neil?

It certainly hasn’t equated to box office success, however, in the case of Haywire, which was budgeted at an estimate $23 million and is only just now, a month and a half after its release, earning around $19 million in gross receipts.

Regardless, McGregor praised Carano’s acting, saying that she never really seemed nervous and that she “carried the entire movie… she really pulls it off; she’s very, very good.”

Not surprisingly, Carano’s fighting skills left an impression, as well.

“Well, I got the crap kicked out of me, really, by her,” said McGregor. “She’s incredible; the fight scenes in the film are really, really extraordinary, brutal and real because that’s what she does.”

Whether fighting is what she continues to do, now that she’s had a taste of Hollywood, remains to be seen.

Carano (7-1) hasn’t set foot in the ring since losing to Cris “Cyborg” Santos in August 2009, which was the fight that Soderbergh saw enough of that certain-something in Carano to build a movie project around her.

“Whatever happens happens. I’d be stupid to say I wouldn’t (act) again because I’d do it again a million times over,” Carano told MMAWeekly.com, leaving her future, both in movies and fighting, wide open.

“I’ve already done so much now. I’ve added this movie to my life and I’ve had such a wonderful time in mixed martial arts. I’m not trying to be greedy and snatch up all the dreams, but I’m just gonna keep going forward and see what happens.”

Carano can act, she held her own with some amazing actors in her first feature film. Of course its not going to win any oscars its an action movie but she was very good.

Lesnardo

Anyone that decided to cast Carano, direct a movie starring Carano, produce a movie starring Carano, invest in a movie starring Carano, or even co-star in a movie starring Carano needs to get his/her brain checked.

Not only is Carano not going to win an oscar, but other than small karate-women roles on 3rd tier action movies like Mortal Kombat, she should not be acting.

alhmiel

Is it just me but does Carano look like a 200lb extra large woman? Carano is one big boned broad who will hit 225 once a few kids shoot out of her. two Ton Carano might end up in the WWE.

fsunoles09

i seen a picture and i guess it was the angle but i thought the same thing bro then i seen another and she seemed like normal carano i guess.

D-rail

Very risky move on Sodeberg’s part. Well, not really if your spending other people’s money I guess. Gina was extremly lucky to have landed that whole starlet package deal, but then again Sodeberg has made a movie with Sasha Grey, when he goes through his experimental phases. Hey, it could of been worse, she could have landed “Girlfriend Experience 2″ and actually gotten some good reviews. Good for her, she got a role where an A-B lister should have been casted and pulled it off. How pissed are you casting couch celebreties and well studied actresses that Gina got that role as you’re wiping seed off your lips.

mmachoman

Ewan McGregor just wants to get into Gina’s pants.
Can’t say I blame the guy, though.

Lesnardo

McGregor can do better than Carano. Carano is hot for an MMA chick. Highly doubt she can compete against hollywood hotties.

MMAFAN35

I would rather watch Gina then most of the fake ass “hollywood hotties” out there. I thought she did a pretty decent job, the only thing that bugged me was the voice over stuff that sounded weird.